Foldable baby car



June 11, y1947'. v JOHNSN 2,422,241

FOLDABLE YBABY CAR 4 sheets-511644` 1 Filed March 5, 1946 Vw m,

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ZJ a y June 17, 1947. c, v. JOHNSON 2,422,24v

FOLDABLE BABY CAR v Filed March 5, 1946v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I j l '52] j-, 7 Clarence Vkfo/zvzson June 17, 1947. f yc;.v..JoHN-:so1-1 2,422,241

FOLDABLE BABY GAR i Filed March 5., 194e: 4 sneetsfsneet 5 Junel'z, 1947. C, v, JQHNSON 4 v2,422,241

FOLDABLE BABY CAR Filed March 5, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 76726@ l/Lfo/nson Patented June 17, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE BABY CAR Clarence V. Johnson, Yates Center, Kans.

Application March 5, 1946, Serial No. 652,010

11 Claims. 1

The invention aims to provide a rather simple and inexpensive baby car, walker or the like, which may be compactly folded when not in use, may be conveniently carried from place to place, and may be easily conditioned for use when ever desired, the invention being, therefore, particularly advantageous when traveling by automobile or otherwise.

Another aim is to provide a construction which is readily useable as a nursery chair and is thus well adapted for the use of the infants of tourists,

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation, partly broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is a top plan view, partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a front elevation.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a disassembledperspective view showing the front construction.

Figure '7 is a detail transverse section on line 'I-'I of Fig. 5.

Figure 8 is a front elevation in folded condition.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a slight modication.

The drawings above briefly described may be considered as disclosing the preferred construction and while that construction will be rather specifically explained, it is to be understood that variations may be made within the scope of the invention as claimed. The construction illustrated may be formed, to a large extent. from wood but obviously the invention is not restricted to any particular material or materials.

A vertical back IIJ is provided, supported by an appropriate axle I I having wheels I2, the lower portion of said back being formed with an opening I3, providing it with legs I4.

Two foldable sides I5 extend forwardly from the back IIJ and are so constructed and mounted as to be foldable in front of said back, as seen in Fig. 8. Each side I5, in the present disclosure, is composed of a rear section I6, an intermediate section Il, and a front section I8. The rear section I6 is secured at I9 to the back Ill; the rear end of the section I'I is hinged at 2l), on a, vertical axis, to the section I6, and the rear end of the front section I8 is hinged at 2l. on a vertical axis, to the front end of the section I'I. The hinge lines of the two sides I5 are so relatively positioned that the folding of `one side will not interfere with folding of the other side, as will be clear from Figs. 2 and 8.

Two arms 22 are pivoted at 23 to a transverse cleat 24 secured to the rear side of the back` I0, near its upper end, the pivots being such that said arms 22 may be swung upwardly, rearwardly and downwardly to occupy a position behind the back I0 when the car is folded, as seen in Fig. 8. The lower edges of the two arms 22 are formed with longitudinal channels 25 which receive the upper edges of the side sections i5, Il and I8 when the two sides' I5 are in operative position, thus holding said sections in alinement with each other. The front ends ofthe arms 22 carry an appropriate tray 26.

The front side sections I8 have forwardly de-Y clined legs 2l which are releasably connected by a transverse member 28 preferably shaped to constitute a bumper. In the present disclosure, this member 28 is formed with rearwardly opening notches 29 removably receiving the lower ends of the legs 21, said legs being provided with relatively long cleats 30 lying upon the upper side of said member 28, and with other cleats 3I abutting the lower side of said member, the cleats 3l) being at the outer sides of the legs 21 and the cleats 3| at the inner sides thereof. These cleats 3| are formed with openings 32 to engage bolts or other suitableV fasteners 33 on the lower side of member 28 to detachably connect this member with the legs 21. When these fasteners 33 are released and the member 28 is detached from the legs 2l (see Fig. 6), the sides I5 may be folded as seen in Fig. 8, it being of course necessary to rst swing the arms 22 to released position.

The rear portion of the transverse member 22, between the notches 29, is formed with a shallow recess 35 and with a ledge 35 forming the bottom of said recess, the latter beingopen both upwardly and rearwardly. This ledge removably supports the front end of a foot platform 33, the rear end of which extends through the opening I3 of the back ID and rests upon the portion 3l of said back, under said opening I3. The platform 35 may be removably secured in place in any suitable way, and hooks 38, pivoted to the legs I4, are sh'own for this purpose, said hooks being receivable in sockets 39 in the edges of said platform. The front end of the platform 35 is held down in the recess 34 by means of cleats 40 secured to the legs 2l. 'Ihe shoulders formed by these cleats and the above described cleats 35 and 3l, effectively stabilize the transverse front member '28 and add rigidity to the entire front structure. This front structure is provided with appropriate caster wheels 4I which may either be mounted on the transverse member 28 as seen in most views, or may be mounted on the lower ends of the legs 21 as illustrated in Fig. 9.

A seat 152 is hinged at 43 to the back I0, between the rear portions of the sides l5, for upward swinging when the car is to be folded. This seat is preferably formed with an opening 44 having a hinged cover 45. The front edge of the seat 42 h'as a relatively narrow forwardly projecting portion 46 terminating at its front end in a hand grip il. The distance from the back Vl) to the hand grip 4l is considerably greater than the distance from the seat hinges 43 to the upper end of the back I B. Thus, when the seat 42 Yis upwardly folded as seen in Fig. 8, the hand grip t1 will be conveniently accessible for carrying the folded structure.

The above described portion 4S of the seat d2 is provided with a foldable leg d8 at its front end, the lower portion of which extends through an opening 9 in the front end of the platform 35 and is seated in an upwardly open socket 5E) formed in the ledge 35. A hook or the like 5l releasably connects the leg d8 with the platform 35 and th'us the elements 28, 36, 48, il', M and 42 are normally held in operative relation with each other. Y

VWhen the device is to be used as a baby walker, the platform 36 is removed and the lower end of post @8 is seated in the socket El] where it will be held by gravity and the weight of the child on the seat G2, or if desired a hook and eye or similar fastening may be .used for holding the post in socket 50. l Y

An appropriate foldable handle 52 is provided, detachably connected at 53 with the lower ends of the legs i4, and at 54 I have shown a brace for connecting said foldable handle 52 with the cleat 2d. As the present invention is not concerned with the specific construction of the handle, no more detailed explanation will be required.

V/'hen the car is to be folded for carrying, the arms 22 are swung over behind the back l0 as seen in Fig. 8, the hook 5l Vis released and the seat d2 swung' upwardly so that the hand grip ii'l is readily accessible, the front member 2B is disconnected from the legs 2l, the platform 38 is removed, and the two sides l5 are then folded into the compact relation shown in Fig; 8, infront of the upwardly folded seat i2.. The member 28, platform 35, and the folded handle 52, may then be suitably placed against one side or the other of vthe folded structure, and the entire assemblage may be fastened together by means of a strap or the like, or the folded assemblage may be inserted into a special carrying bag, leaving the hand grip @l projecting upwardly-for use.

After carrying the device in folded condition, it be quickly and easily set up for use and will then be a very effective article as a baby walker, a stroller, a kiddie car, or a nursery chair.

I claim:

In a foldable baby car, a back, two foldable sides extending forwardly from said backY and hinged thereto on vertical axes to fold in front of said back, a foldably mounted seat between said'sides, and two traycarrying arms pivoted to said back, the lower edges of said arms having 1ra-sans removably engaging the upper edges of said sides to prevent accidental folding thereof.

2. In a foldable baby car, a back, two foldable sides extending forwardly from said back and hinged' thereto on vertical axes to fold in front of said back, means releasablyconnecting the front ends of said sides, and an upwardly foldable seat hinged to the front side of said back, said seat having va narrow forwardly extending portion provided at its front end withY a hand grip, the distance from said back to said hand grip being greater than the distance from said seat to the upper end of said back, whereby said hand grip will be accessible above said back wh'en said seat is upwardly folded.

3. In e, foldable baby oar, a back, two foldable sides extending forwardly from said back and hinged thereto on vertical axes to fold in front of said lback, a transverse member releasably connecting the lower front portions of said sides, and a removable foot platform extending from the lower portion of said back to said transverse member.

4. In a foldable lbaby car, a back, two foldable sides extending forwardly from said back and hinged thereto on vertical axes to fold in front of said lback, a transverse member releasably connecting the lower front portions of said sides, a removable foot platform extending from said back to said transverse member and lying upon a portion of the latter, said platform having an opening through its front end and said transverse member being formed with anupwardly open socket under said opening, an upwardly foldable seat having a narrow forwardlyextending portion, and a foldable leg connected with slaid narrow forwardly extending portion of said seat, the

lower end of said leg extending through said opening and into' said socket.

5. in a foldable baby car, a back; ltwo sides extending forwardly from said black, each of said sides being composed of Vsections abutting each other on vertical lines,vand means hingedlyconnecting said sections with each other; means connecting the rearmost ofsaid sections to said back; and releasable means for normlallyholding said sections to said sides in alinement with each other, said sides being foldable in front of said' back when said means areV released.

6. In a foldable baby oar, a lback; two sides extending forwardly from said back, each of said sides being composed'of sections abutting each other on vertical lines, andmeans hingedly Yconnecting said sections with each other; means connecting the rearmost of said sections to said back; and two tray-carrying arms pivoted to said back and having channels in .their lower edgesY Vnormally receiving the upper edgesof said sides ,to hold'said sections of said sides in alinement, said sides lbeing foldable infront of. said back when said arms are swung to released position. Y

7. In a foldable baby car, a back, .a seat hinged to said 'bla-ck to fold upwardly when. not in use, said seat having a narrow forwardly extending portion provided at its front end with a hand grip, and releasable means for holding said seat in operative position, the distanceV from said back to said hand YgripY being greater than the ,distance from said seat to the upper end of Ysaid back,

whereby said hand grip will be accessible when said seat is upwardly folded.

8. In a foldable baby car, a back, foldable sides hinged to saidback and having legs at their front ends, a transverse member extending vbetween the lower ends of said legs and havingnotches in which said lower ends of .said legs are removably seated, said legs having shoulderslabutting the upper and lower sides Vof said Vtransverse member, and releaslable means normally holding said legs in said notches. f I l 9. A structure as specified in claim; together with a removable foot platform resting at its 5 front end upon said transverse member between said legs, said legs having shoulders abutting the upper side of said platform.

10. In a foldable lbalby car having a front transverse member and ian upwardly foldalble seat; a 5

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 746,190 Southard Dec. 8, 1903 1,163,263 Rudduck Dec. '7, 1915 1,283,564 Robinson NOV. 5, 1918 1.472,323 Burns Oct. 30, 1923 

